The Baldwin County Planning and Zoning Commission rejected an appeal of a decision that denied a restaurant operator permission to build a covered porch in a setback area. ROBERTSDALE -- The Baldwin County Planning and Zoning Commission voted 8-1 Thursday night to deny an appeal by a Point Clear restaurant operator challenging a decision that prevented a porch from being built in a highway setback area.

The proposed 16-foot, covered porch for smoking customers on the west side of Tamara's Steamer would encroach into a 75-foot construction setback area along Scenic 98, said Richard Johnson, a planning engineer with the county's Highway Department, who rejected the application.

Applicants can appeal those decisions to the planning commission to "remedy a gross inequity or extreme economic hardship," according to state law.

But the majority of planning commissioners concluded hardship was not a factor in this situation because the porch could be built on other sides of the building without touching the setback line.